SIMON FRASER UNIVERSITY GALLERIES
Academic Quadrangle 3004
8888 University Drive, Burnaby, BC
TEL 778.782.4266
FAX 778.782.3029 gallery@sfu.ca www.sfu.ca/gallery
Canada V5A 1S6
June 20, 2014
1.1 Procedures
1.1.1 The same procedures will be used for all acquisitions whether it is a purchase, gift, bequest, exchange, transfer, or commission.
1.1.2 The Acquisitions Committee is chaired by the Director, SFU Galleries.
1.1.3 An Acquisitions Committee meeting requires the presence of all members. Minutes will be taken at each Acquisitions Committee meeting and distributed to members in advance of the next meeting.
1.1.4 Meetings will be held and called by SFU Galleries on an ad hoc basis. The meetings will take place prior to Advisory Committee meetings.
1.1.5 SFU Galleries is responsible for researching, identifying, and recommending works of art for acquisition. The Acquisitions Committee may bring works to the attention of the Director. The committee is responsible for the approval of works for acquisition. Before agreeing to accept a donated work, the Gallery must provide the donor with a copy of the Collections Management
Policy.
1.1.6 A condition report will be prepared by the Collections Manager, SFU Galleries, but if there are questions about the work’s condition a conservator must be consulted before the work is presented to the Acquisitions Committee.
1.1.7 The Director will prepare an agenda listing the works of art for consideration by the Acquisitions
Committee, plus any relevant information and images of the work(s) if possible. This will be circulated prior to the meeting.
1.1.8 The Director will present works to the Acquisitions Committee and outline the reasons why the proposed work is desirable or undesirable for the SFU Art Collection, explaining the work’s historical importance, its relation to other works by the same or related artists already in the Art
Collection, and its particular contribution to the SFU Art Collection and mission in the broadest sense. Whenever possible, works to be considered should be on display at the meeting. When this is not possible a photograph of the work being proposed must be available to the committee, and a member of SFU Galleries staff must have examined the work in situ .
1.1.9 Once acquired, the Collections Manager will assign the work of art an accession number. If the work is by a living artist, whenever possible the artist should be informed and, if appropriate, sent a questionnaire to obtain background and history about the artist and the work. Every effort should be made to obtain a non-exclusive license allowing reproduction of the work for educational purposes.
1.1.10 Complete and accurate records, as set forth in ‘Records’ (section 5) must be maintained for all works acquired for the SFU Art Collection.
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1.2 Appraisals for Donated Works of Art
1.2.1 Where works of art are acquired by gift or bequest University Advancement will require appropriate documentation in order to issue a charitable gift receipt under the Income Tax Act , if the work of art is eligible. This documentation serves to establish the date of acquisition by SFU
Galleries, authenticity of the work of art, and the fair market value at the time of acquisition.
1.2.2 The Gallery is not obligated to accept any works bequeathed to it by a gift in a person’s will. If a bequeathed gift is accepted, the Gallery also accepts the terms and conditions of the gift by will, if any. Gifts from estates, which are not made by will, may be accepted as long as there are no ancillary conditions imposed by the estate trustees or other beneficiaries.
1.2.3 While SFU Galleries should encourage potential donors to take advantage of tax exemptions, for special tax advice donors will be referred to University Advancement and should also consult with their own professional tax advisors.
1.2.4 Particular works of art donated to the SFU Art Collection may be the subject of a Cultural Property certification application to the Canadian Cultural Property Export Review Board (CCPERB).
Should the Director, SFU Galleries, choose to apply for such certification SFU Galleries will prepare the application to CCPERB.
1.2.5 Donated works of art with a value less than $1,000 may qualify for a gift receipt and the value of the donation may be ascribed by the Director, SFU Galleries.
1.2.6 Appraisals of works of art donated or bequeathed to SFU Art Collection with a value in excess of
$1,000 must be undertaken by persons acting “at arm’s length” from the Gallery and the donor.
Donors may be asked to provide an additional gift of cash to help offset the cost of an appraisal.
SFU Galleries follow the requirements of the Cultural Property Export Review Board in requiring one appraisal for gifts whose value does not exceed $20,000. Those with values above $20,000 require two appraisals. Works of art offered to the SFU Art Collection will be appraised by an appraiser from the Professional Art Dealers Association (PADAC).
1.3 Outdoor Art and Art in Public Spaces
Works of art intended for permanent or long-term display outside of normal gallery exhibitions, particularly those intended for outdoor locations, entail considerations of location, installation safety, and on-going maintenance. In addition to the criteria applicable to all objects in the SFU
Art Collection, the acquisition, management, and care of public art will include the collaboration between SFU Galleries Director and various university departments (see SFU’s Policy, Murals and Displays of Art Work ).
1.4
Procedures for the Acquisition of Commissioned Works of Art
1.4.1 SFU Galleries may, on occasion, commission works of art for the SFU Art Collection. The purchase of such works will proceed in two stages.
1.4.1.1 Stage One: Approval to solicit a proposal for a commissioned work from an artist.
A written document that outlines the argument for soliciting an artist for the commission; describes the type of work proposed; and includes a cost estimate for the development of the proposal will be presented to the Acquisition Committee.
1.4.1.2 Stage Two: Approval to commission the work of art.
After the plans and/or model have been completed and the total purchase price
(including costs of fabrication, technical consultation and installation, and any other related costs) is firmly established, the Director, SFU Galleries will present the work along with a written justification as described above for approval. If approved, a contract with the artist will be signed for the fabrication and installation of the work of art.
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1.5 Provenance
1.5.1 SFU Galleries shall research the provenance of a work of art prior to acquisition to determine that the Gallery can obtain clear title. Such research should include, but is not necessarily limited to, determining:
1.5.1.1 The ownership history of the work of art;
1.5.1.2 The exhibition history of the work of art, if any;
1.5.1.3 The publication history of the work of art, if any;
1.5.1.4 Whether any claims of ownership to the work of art have been made;
1.5.1.5 The circumstances under which the works of art is being offered to the SFU Art
Collection.
1.5.2
For all acquisitions SFU Galleries shall make a rigorous effort to obtain all available information and accurate written documentation, with respect to the ownership history of the work of art, from the sellers and donors.
1.6 Conflict of Interest
1.6.1 In addition to compliance with Simon Fraser University’s Conflict of Interest (GP 37) , members of the Acquisitions Committee will also comply with practices specific to issues related to works of art and art museum practices. No member of the Acquisitions Committee will have interests that are in conflict with SFU Galleries.
1.6.2 No work of art created by a committee member or his/her immediate family may be acquired, whether by purchase or donation, by SFU Galleries for the SFU Art Collection while that member is serving on the committee.
1.6.3 No member of the committee may sell a work of art to SFU Galleries while serving on the committee.
1.6.4 The Director and SFU Galleries staff shall not deal in works of art for personal profit, gain or other advantages.
1.7 Ethics and Standards of Acquisitions
1.7.1 The Acquisitions Committee shall respect a set of ethical rules that apply as a complement to the selection criteria, which is detailed in the Acquisitions Policy.
1.7.2 Before a work of art is recommended for acquisition, its attribution, date, provenance (legal title and history) and condition must be verified.
1.7.3 In its collecting activities, SFU Galleries acts in a responsible manner to preserve artistic heritage.
Illegal, unethical or irresponsible traffic in works of art is prohibited. SFU Galleries is especially concerned to establish proper title and unquestionable provenance of works of art in its collection and conforms to national and international ethical standards put forth by the Canadian Museums
Association (CMA) and the International Council of Museums (ICOM).
1.7.4 In all activities related to collections, SFU Galleries employees must not be, either in fact or appearance, in conflict of interest with the purposes of the SFU Art Collection.
1.7.5 The monetary value of acquisitions, whether the purchase price or the fair market value for gifts and bequests, will not be disclosed by acquisitions committee members outside of acquisitions meetings. Only the Director, SFU Galleries, will disclose monetary values.
1.7.6 In instances where a donor requests that the value of the acquisition remain confidential, the
Director will seek advice from the legal advisor of Simon Fraser University on the applicability of the Access to Information Act . SFU Galleries Director will also inform University Advancement about the nature of any confidentiality requested by the donor.
1.7.7 SFU Galleries will not disclose the identity of the donor unless he/she agrees.
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1.7.8 In all stages of its work, the Acquisitions Committee shall comply with all rules of ethics, museological standards, and provincial, federal, and international laws concerning museums.
2.1 Procedures
2.1.1
Working with the Collections Manager, the Director, SFU Galleries, will present works of art recommend for deaccessioning to the Acquisitions Committee. This will be done in writing and at an Acquisitions Committee meeting. The Director will outline the rationale for deaccessioning by addressing the specific reasons for deaccession. Decisions to deaccession a work of art are based on a majority vote.
2.1.2
A work of art may only be disposed of on the authority of the Acquisitions Committee, on the recommendation of the Director, SFU Galleries.
2.1.3
Complete and accurate records, as set forth in ‘Records’ (section 5), including photographs, shall be permanently maintained on each object removed from the SFU Art Collection.
2.1.4
Disposals should be conducted with a view towards maximizing the advantage and yield to SFU
Galleries without compromising the highest standards of professional ethics, the Gallery’s standing, or its responsibilities to the donor and the artist. Deaccessioned works of art should be offered for sale at public auction whenever possible.
2.2 Methods of Disposal
2.2.1 A deaccessioned work of art may be disposed of by the following means:
2.2.1.1
Returning the work to the donor, unless the donor received a tax receipt from SFU and therefore the work would not be returned;
2.2.1.2
Transferring the work to another institution where the work is deemed to be more appropriate;
2.2.1.3
Exchanging the work for more appropriate examples in the same category;
2.3
2.2.1.4
Selling the work at public auction with proceeds going to acquiring new works of art for the SFU Art Collection;
2.2.1.5
Destroying the work, but only as a last resort.
Ethics and Standards of Deaccessioning
2.3.1 All funds received from the sale of deaccessioned works of art are credited to SFU Galleries for future acquisitions in accordance with the accessioning principles in the Acquisitions Policy.
2.3.2
If a work of art is to be deaccessioned, the donor should be consulted, whenever possible. Where a donated work of art, whether by gift or bequest, is sold or exchanged future works of art acquired from those proceeds or by exchange should bear a credit in the name of the original donor.
2.3.3
SFU Galleries shall honour all legal restrictions attached to the gift or bequest of all works of art.
Before recommending that a donated work be deaccessioned the Collections Manager, SFU
Galleries, will first review the records of the gift to confirm that the gift is unrestricted. In addition, donor requests which do not impose any legal obligation accompanying the bequest or gift of any work of art will be respected to the extent feasible.
2.3.4
No member of the Acquisition Committee, Gallery staff, or those whose association with SFU
Galleries might give them advantage in acquiring a work of art is permitted to acquire directly or indirectly a work of art deaccessioned from the SFU Art Collection. No Committee member or staff member may benefit from the sale or trade of a work of art from the SFU Art Collection.
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Loans to SFU Galleries should be periodically monitored and contact maintained with the lender, as appropriate under the circumstances. SFU Galleries may also identify works abandoned on
University property or have no records reflecting their transfer to the SFU Art Collection. In such cases, the Director, SFU Galleries, should consult with the Acquisitions Committee on how to process the property.
All donors and lenders should be aware of the British Columbia Unclaimed Property Act .
(See http://www.bclaws.ca/EPLibraries/bclaws_new/document/ID/freeside/00_99048_01 )
4.1
The SFU Art Collection is cared for by SFU Galleries, which has a legal, and ethical responsibility for the safekeeping of the Art Collection. SFU Galleries shall provide a safe and appropriate environment for the Art Collection, with effective security and environmental control, for the benefit of present and future generations.
4.2
SFU Galleries shall preserve works of art in accordance with the highest standards of preventive conservation. This means controlling light exposure, relative humidity and temperature, pollutants and contaminants in accordance with current best practices. SFU Galleries’ preservation standards shall be maintained for works of art on loan to SFU Galleries.
4.3
The Collections Manager will identify works of art that are in need of conservation treatment or stabilization.
4.4
The Gallery will maintain the highest standards of handling and installation to preserve the Art
Collection. The Collections Manager is responsible for providing training, guidelines, and procedures for safe handling and security of collection objects. All interns and students must be supervised when handling works of art.
4.5
SFU Galleries shall provide appropriate security and fire detection systems and maintain a disaster and emergency preparedness plan.
5.1
SFU Galleries, through its Collections Manager, will maintain accurate, up-to-date records on the identification, location and condition of all objects in the SFU Art Collection and appropriate records of deaccessioned works of art, as well as of ongoing activities such as loans, research, and correspondence with donors, artists, and scholars. These records should be kept in an organized, and coherent filing system, both in paper format and electronically in a collections management database.
5.2
These records should include at least the following information:
5.2.1
The name, address, and phone number of the person or institution for whom a work of art was acquired or to whom it was deaccessioned or loaned;
5.2.2
5.2.3
5.2.4
5.2.5
A description of the work and its condition;
A digital image for reference;
With respect to works of art still in the Art Collection, the work’s current location;
The terms and any other material facts regarding the acquisition, deaccession or loan
5.2.6 of a work of art;
A copy of the document conveying the work of art to or from the Art Collection.
5.3
In addition, SFU Galleries will maintain files that include an object’s accession number (or temporary receipt number), legal status of the work of art (e.g. whether the work is temporarily in the custody of the Gallery, on loan, or owned by the Gallery, and if owned, whether title was acquired by gift, bequest, purchase, transfer, or exchange), activity and history of the object within
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the Gallery and University (e.g. a record of movement at all times), loan and exhibition history, and exact credit line at time of acquisition.
5.4
All records created or received in the transaction of SFU Galleries proper business are the property of SFU Galleries and Simon Fraser University and must not be destroyed except in accordance with its record retention policy. SFU Galleries will review inactive records and will, as appropriate, maintain them for reference use elsewhere in the Gallery or discard them in accordance with this policy.
5.5
SFU Galleries shall make available, to authorized persons, materials relating to the SFU Art
Collection and incoming and outgoing loans unless the material is confidential.
5.6
The SFU Art Collection must be inventoried under the supervision of the Collections Manager and the resulting inventories must be maintained, corrected, and updated on a continual basis.
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